Bloodlust: An Arrow Fanfiction
by gabriel.janas
Summary: A story that has no official place in the show time line. The story stars Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, Felicity Smoak, and John Diggle. Oliver is weighted down by the burdens of his duty towards his father and his city. He can't help but feel alone. But being alone is no longer enough to keep him going.
1. Chapter 1

**BLOODLUST: An Arrow FanFiction**

By: Gabriel Janas

"What a night," Oliver sighed heavily to himself as he slowly made his way down the steel staircase towards the basement of his nightclub Verdant.

What had once been his father's decrepit factory in The Glades of Starling City was now home to the hottest nightclub in town. Its sublevels also happened to be a convenient base of operations for what had now become his ritualistic nightly outings as the city's resident 'vigilante.' As reluctant as he was to admit this to himself, this place felt more like home than the Queen mansion had since his return to civilization. He never really felt safer than he did in the basement beneath his club. It was a place entirely dedicated to the pursuit of a single goal. It was a place of focus. It was also the place he always ran to for a moment of solitude after the club had closed and everyone had gone home. Here he could just rest for awhile and forget about being 'The Vigilante' and Oliver Queen, the billionaire playboy with hearts to break and money to burn. Here he could just be Oliver.

After tonight he really needed the time to be alone. He had almost let Laurel in on his secret. In a moment of weakness he had almost told her everything. Lying to her day in and day out was eating him up inside. After everything that he had done to her, after all the cheating, causing the death of her sister Sarah, she still found the strength to somehow be his friend. And all he ever did to repay that kindness was to lie to her.

**FLASHBACK TO EARLIER THAT EVENING**

"More wine monsieur?" asked the waiter politely.

"Yes…please," Oliver replied with a tight forced smile glued to his face.

As the waiter poured the wine into his glass Oliver snuck a glance at Laurel across from him at the table. She was playing with the penne on her plate. Her thick, brown hair fell in gentle curls down to her smooth curved shoulders. The faint blonde highlights she had added shimmered in the candlelight as she slowly shook her head back and forth to decline the waiter's offer to refill her wine glass. Her faint green eyes had an agitated look to them tonight. The slight stress line on her forehead only increased the look of worry she was trying to mask. Something was definitely wrong. Yet, even like this she looked as beautiful as ever…

"Ollie!"

"Hmm…what?" Oliver asked as he snapped out of his trance with Laurel practically yelling his nickname from across the table.

"You were staring at me," she said.

Pinching his eyebrows in what he hoped passed for a quizzical and surprised look of innocence Oliver replied, "No I wasn't."

"Yes you were Ollie," Laurel said. "I called your name like three times. You just kept on staring at me."

"I was just admiring the new highlights in your hair," he replied quickly to mask his embarrassment at zoning out to thoughts of Laurel.

Smiling politely, Laurel grabbed a strand of her hair and twirled it around her finger awkwardly as she said, "Thanks…but I got these done like two months ago…"

"Ah…well they look good on you," Oliver said sheepishly.

"Thanks…"

A moment of awkward silence filled the air between them as Laurel continued to play with her hair.

"So…what's up?" Oliver asked. "Why the fancy dinner?"

"It's…it's everything Ollie," she sighed. "It's my work, it's my dad, on top of the fact that Tommy isn't speaking to me…"

"That makes two of us," he said with a bitter smile.

"What?!"

"Tommy and I…we're not on the best of terms at the moment," Oliver said slowly. "We had a disagreement…about the club."

"Really?" Laurel asked with a disbelieving expression plastered on her face.

"Yes," Oliver replied a little too casually.

"I don't buy it Oliver."

"There were… a few other topics that we didn't agree on," he admitted slowly.

"Like what?" Laurel asked, leaning in with the inquisitive intensity of a practiced lawyer playing a hunch.

"I believe we were talking about you and why we're here… not Tommy and I," Oliver said with a slight smile, leaning back into his chair and resting his hands on the table.

With an exasperated sigh Laurel replied, "Same old Oliver Queen, giving nothing of himself and expecting the world in return."

The smile on Oliver's face deepened. It was a smile to mask his vulnerability. Laurel had no idea how close to the mark she had hit with her comment. Ever since he had returned to Starling City from the island, he had been having trouble letting people in, especially those closest to him like his family and Laurel…always Laurel.

"I'm sorry Laurel. I…I've never really been good at this sort of thing," he said slowly.

"I know Oliver," she sighed as she leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms under her breasts. "When we were…together…you weren't exactly open with me then either."

Swallowing the lump of guilt forming in his throat he decided to take a chance. "Tommy and I…we had a disagreement about our opinions of…the Vigilante."

"That would make two of us then," Laurel replied quietly.

"What?!" Oliver said, just managing to catch her words.

"We…Tommy and I have been arguing about The Hood a lot lately. Ever since I lost contact with him after the incident at Iron Heights Prison…"

"You mean the incident where you almost got yourself killed," Oliver said seriously.

"I know Oliver," Laurel snapped. "Ever since then…with everything that has happened…I can't seem to get him off of my mind."

"Well you are dating him Laurel," he replied jokingly.

"Not Tommy Ollie," she snapped. "I can't stop thinking about The Hood."

Shifting slightly in his seat he asked, "What about him?"

"I don't know," Laurel said. "I just feel like…like I know him somehow. It's just something about the way he watched me, you know? It was almost protective. It was…it was like he knew me too. I told Tommy all of this and he got mad at me. He told me that he's a dangerous psychopath. After that he hasn't really come over and he's barley spoken to me. When I tried to call him to apologize he would just make up some sort of excuse and hang up."

"Well, that definitely sounds like Tommy," he said stiffly.

"Yeah," Laurel sighed sadly.

"Just give him some time Laurel," Oliver said. "He really cares about you. He just needs some time to het his head around it all. He can be a little stubborn at times."

"Tell me about it," she said with a laugh. "Thanks Ollie."

"For what?" he asked, blinking slightly from confusion.

"For listening to me…and for just being here. After everything that we've been through together… I still feel like I can talk to you and be honest with you. With everything that I felt when Sarah died and when you came home alive… I never thought we would be able to do something as simple as talk and be honest with one another again. I'm glad that we can be friends."

Suppressing the sudden immense feelings of guilt and shame over all that he had done to Laurel and with all the lies he had told, and was still telling, Oliver smiled at her, a smile that didn't reach the sadness in his eyes. Looking at her seriously he said, "I haven't been completely honest with you Laurel."

With a worried expression, which quickly switched to the emotionless mask learned through countless hours spent practicing law, Laurel softly asked, "With what Oliver?"

"With things about Tommy…and the Vigilante …to start," he said, timing his words carefully as his brain raced in circles at the thought of telling laurel the truth. There really was no good time to tell her everything Oliver decided.

"Excuse me Mr. Queen," a deep voice said just off of Oliver's left shoulder.

Turning, Oliver saw Diggle standing a respectful distance from the table with a very serious and impatient expression on his face.

"What's up Digg?" he asked with a hint of urgency. He really didn't know how much longer he could wait to tell Laurel about who he really was before the moment had passed and he decided against it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your evening sir," Diggle said professionally. "But there is a problem with one of your liquor suppliers at the club. Mr. Lawton is waiting to have a 'pointed' conversation with you."

Looking back at Laurel, Oliver was torn. He may never again get another chance to come clean with her. Before this moment, he hadn't known how much he had really wanted to tell her everything.

"Just go Oliver," Laurel said with a measure of guarded disappointment staining her voice.

With one last pained look into Laurel's disappointed eyes he got up slowly from his seat. Turning to follow Diggle out of the restaurant he quietly whispered, "I'm sorry."

**FLASHBACK TO THE PRESENT**

What a disaster it had all been. Laurel already had enough reasons to not trust him. His confession of dishonesty along with his abrupt exit had probably made her fragile trust of him shakier than it already was. Leaning heavily against the steel railing Oliver felt the weight of his bow as a hundred pounds of burden resting in his hand. The lives it had taken, the few that still had innocence within them that he had failed to protect, an the countless guilty that it had struck down in cold vengeance all rested there in the palm of his hand. The weight of his duty laid only heavier, a mountain of immovable responsibility sown into the soil of his body, grown from his father's failures…and from his own. Oliver felt so tired, and so alone.

Breathing deeply from his core he steadied his weariness after a few moments. He had no time for weakness and self-pity, not until the mission was done. The mission always came first. Everything else was secondary.

Once again as calm and focused as he could be, Oliver trudged his way down the remaining steps and entered the cavernous basement of Verdant. After the disastrous dinner with Laurel and failing to kill Deadshot again, there really was no place else he would rather be at this moment.

Looking around the room as he placed his bow and quiver on the nearby table, he stopped for a moment to take it all in. The first thing that hit him was the silence. There was no noise in his sanctuary, no music, no steady drip of water from the piper that long ago should have corroded and burst. There was just the sound of his breathing. Nothing more. The low level of light registered to his sense next. It cast a pale gloom over the place. The light coupled with the crisp chill of the out of date heating system made the place feel like the a cave that he had stayed in back on the island. It felt strangely reassuring. As his eyes scanned the room he saw the tools of his trade. Everything in the place was an instrument to be used, from the carefully arranged arrows, the knives that he had taken from Slade's plane, the state of the art computers with access to almost any information he could think of… and even the empty Chinese food boxes plied on the desk next to the black rimmed glasses?

_"I don't remember ordering take out,"_ Oliver thought to himself, confused as to their place in his private musings of mission and purpose.

Walking over towards the desk where the empty food containers lay, Oliver noticed the sleeping form in the single high-backed, black chair just off into the shadows. The chair's resting occupant was blonde of hair and small of stature, wrapped in a make shift blanket of leather jackets and a plain black cardigan. As his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting he recognized the form of a very tired looking Felicity Smoak bundled up against the chill of the room.

_"What is she still doing here?"_ Oliver thought, though he did not immediately make a move to wake her.

Looking at Felicity closely he couldn't help but smile to himself a little. She looked so peaceful asleep in her chair with her long blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail. Her red lips wore a slight smile at the corners, which accentuated her pale face with the simple joy of sleep and dreams.

The faint blush of her cheeks added a feminine radiance to her sleeping form that Oliver only noticed on a few other occasions. This quirky I.T. girl had a strange sort of beauty to her at times that was born of a quick intellect, a surprisingly passionate demeanor, and an honesty about her to rival that of a saint. She was actually one of the most honest people he had ever met, and also one of the hardest working he noted to himself as he glanced at one of the computer screens on the desk. She had been up all night updating the tracking software she had installed a few months ago it seemed.

Crouching down and gently touching her shoulder he whispered, "Felicity. Hey, wake up."

Stirring slightly in her chair Felicity mumbled something incoherent and rolled over so that part of her back was facing Oliver.

Tightening his jaw in amusement he called out to her again as he shook her shoulder a little more vigorously, "Felicity. Felicity, wake up."

Rolling back towards him slightly and opening her eyes slowly from her slumber she recognized Oliver's face. With a dreamy smile she said, "So this is what it's like to wake up next to you."

Blinking, Oliver slowly raised a single eyebrow at her comment.

With her brain actively catching up to her groggy comment, Felicity quickly sat up in the chair and stammered, "I mean… you look bigger on top of me. Crap! Ummm…what I meant was… you're huge! Damn it! That all came out so wrong."

Smiling to himself secretly in the dimness of the room, he walked over to the desk to retrieve Felicity's glasses and said, "Good morning Felicity."

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she mumbled, "Good morning. What time is it?"

"Just a few minutes past 7 a.m." he replied as he handed over he glasses and leaned back against the table.

"Holy crap!" Felicity yelled as she shoved her glasses onto her face in a panic and scrambled to put her cardigan on.

"What's up?" Oliver asked urgently, surprised at the burst of energy from Felicity.

"I'm so late for work. I stayed up way too late updating our tracking algorithms and operating system," she said in a rush as she fumbled with the last few buttons. "My so-called department boss is going to freak!"

"Relax Felicity," Oliver said wearily from his perch over by the table. "I'll make a call. You'll be fine."

Stopping her fumbling with the last button on he sweater, Felicity glanced up at Oliver. With a look of concern on her face she asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Oliver said all too quickly.

Walking over to the table and standing in front of him she said, "Something is definitely wrong. You sound off."

"It's nothing," he said as he looked up at her standing there. Reaching over he carefully did up the last button on her black cardigan.

Following the movement of his hands, Felicity swallowed visibly and grabbed both of Oliver's hands as he began to pull away. Looking him steadily in the eye she again asked, "What's wrong Oliver?"

Sitting there against the table with his hands in Felicity's, he looked pointedly into her blue eyes. A mixture of confusing feelings welled up in his chest right then causing a strange tightness to spread across his upper body. Accompanying the tight sensation was an odd sort of energy that tingled up his arms, starting from his hands and racing up and through to the rest of him.

"It's…everything Felicity," Oliver found himself gushing quickly like water spraying from a crack in a pipe. "It's this whole night. It's this life. All of these lies that I've had to tell and to live are just eating away at me. I lie to everyone around me. I have to lie to my mom, to Thea…to Laurel. On top of that, Deadshot got away tonight and Diggle isn't in the greatest of moods about it. I had a chance to end it tonight Felicity. It would have cost the lives of many innocent people. I just couldn't do it. Now someone else will die because I failed to kill Lawton."

"Oliver…" Felicity said tenderly as she placed a reassuring hand on his chest.

"I keep telling people that they've failed this city Felicity," Oliver whispered as he stared intently into her eyes. "But…I'm the one who keeps lying to those closest to me. I'm the one who keeps on failing my friends. I'm the one who is really failing this city."

"Oliver," she said, cupping his face gently into her hands and staring just as intensely back at him. "You haven't failed this city. You've shed blood for it. You may have to lie to everyone you care about now, but one day, after everything is said and done and you've shot your last arrow, there will come a time where you won't have to lie to anyone ever again."

Entranced by the intensity of her gaze Oliver mumbled his deepest fear out loud without even thinking about it, "But I'm so alone. I'm so tired of being alone. I don't want to be on an island by myself anymore Felicity."

Moving in closer so that she was just an inch from his face, Felicity whispered, "You're not alone. You've got Diggle… and you've got me."

Something passed between them then. In that moment Oliver felt a loosening in his chest. It was as if a few pounds of burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He just sat there, trapped in the fire of Felicity's piercing blue gaze. The warmth of her hands on his face supported him in a way he didn't know was possible.

_"She is definitely something else,"_ he found himself thinking. _"Maybe I don't have to be so alone…"_

Leaning forward ever so slightly, Oliver moved his face closer toward hers. He could feel the molten heat from her lips calling to him in a way he had not felt since…

"Oliver? You down here man?" a voice called as the sound of heavy feet coming down the steel staircase echoed throughout the room.

Standing up quickly, Oliver moved away from the desk a few feet. Looking over from the corner of his eyes he saw an intense blush radiating from Felicity's face. The look of supreme disappointment was not missed on him either.

"There you are man," Diggle said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Seeing Felicity and Oliver standing there he stopped in his tracks. "Am I…interrupting anything?"

"No," Oliver said quickly.

"Right…" Diggle said looking back and forth between them.

"You two have some talking to do," Felicity piped in. "And I need to get to work."

Turning towards Oliver she quietly said, "You can come talk to me anytime if you feel that you need to."

"Thank you," he whispered.

As she left the room Oliver couldn't help but watch her go. She had reawakened something inside of him tonight, but he really wasn't sure just what exactly to do about it now.

"Look man," Oliver heard Diggle say as he listened to Felicity's footsteps fade up the stairs. "About the whole Deadshot thing tonight…I didn't mean to…"

Raising a hand Oliver stopped Diggle in mid speech. Looking at him in all seriousness he said, "It's ok."

"No man it's not…"

"Digg," Oliver interrupted. "It's ok. We'll get him next time. When that happens, I promise you that I won't hesitate. We'll sate your bloodlust Diggle…and my own desires in the process."

10

10 


	2. Chapter 2: Oliver's Dark Knight

CH.2-Oliver's Dark Knight

4 Days Later…

Looking out of the windows of the main boardroom of Queen Consolidated, Oliver gazed down across the bustling evening streets of Starling City. It had been days since he had last talked to Laurel. The disaster of a dinner at the best French restaurant in town had done nothing to repair the fragile trust that lay between them since his return home from the island. If anything it had made that trust thinner than ice on an early spring day. To top it off he had failed to take down Deadshot again. Though Diggle wouldn't admit to it he was furious. Oliver couldn't miss the look of maddening agony and anger in his eyes when he had failed to take the shot to kill Lawton. He just couldn't do it though. It would have meant taking the life of an innocent woman that Lawton was using as a human shield. But what did it really matter? Lawton had shot her anyway in order to make his escape. She was dead now because Oliver had hesitated to act and Deadshot had gotten away again.

Resting his forehead against the cool glass Oliver thought to himself, _I've failed. 'Sarah is dead, Laurel hates me, I'm losing Digg's trust and a woman is dead because of me.'_

Running his eyes down the street he rested his gaze upon a construction crew replacing the glass window of Starling City Central Bank. It had been the scene of a gang bank heist just the day before. He had almost lost someone dear to him there too…

**FLASHBACK TO THE PREVIOUS DAY**

"Felicity? Hey Felicity are you here?" Oliver called out as he strolled into the I.T. department of Queen Consolidated.

Looking around the blue colored room Oliver saw no sign of Felicity Smoak as he strolled past her corner cubicle towards the back of the room where the supervisor's office would be. Approaching the glass door he was a woman with dark brown hair that looked to be in her mid thirties sitting at her desk lazily going through some emails on her computer. Knocking on the glass door twice Oliver walked into the office as the supervisor of the I.T. department jumped out of her seat.

"Mr. Queen! I didn't hear you come in," said the nervous sounding woman who hurriedly smoothed down her grey skirt and blue dress shirt. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a certain Felicity Smoak. You haven't seen her around here somewhere have you?" Oliver asked with a slight smile.

Looking disappointed the I.T. supervisor curtly replied, "She left for lunch about twenty minutes ago. She should be back soon. Would you like me to take a message for you?"

"No. That's ok. I'll come back later," Oliver replied with a reassuring smile. "Thank you Mrs.…"

"Adams! Rachel Adams."

"Thank you Mrs. Adams," Oliver said as he turned to leave.

As the door closed behind him he heard her call out, "It's just Miss Adams!"

Making his way out of the building and onto the street Oliver thought to himself, '_Where could she be? I need her to help me track down Deadshot's whereabouts. I need to fix this mess that I've made with Dig…'_

The blare of police sirens racing past him down the block interrupted his thoughts. Looking towards the sound Oliver saw five police vehicles and a SWAT truck screeching to a stop in front of Starling City Central Bank. Ten officers quickly got out of their vehicles and began to form a perimeter around the bank while pushing pedestrians away from the entrance. With trained precision the members of the SWAT team quickly took holding positions by the door and entrance to the alleyway. Off in the distance Oliver heard more sirens racing by to block off the back entrance and alley exit. Spotting Detective Quentin Lance making the rounds with the officers onsite Oliver ran up to him to see what was going on.

"Detective Lance!" Oliver called out, "What's happening here?"

Spinning around Detective Lance spotted Oliver jogging up toward him. Motioning to the officer on his left, who placed a firm hand on Oliver's chest and began to push him back, Detective Lance yelled out, "Get back Queen! There's a robbery in progress."

Letting the officer push him past the perimeter Oliver was about to ask for details when he felt his phone vibrate in his jacket pocket. Turning his back to the retreating officer he fished his phone out from the depths of his leather coat and answered.

"Hello?"

"Oliver! Thank God I've found you! I didn't know whom to call! Actually I already called the police but knowing them they'd get here too late," yelled the hysterical voice of Felicity Smoak through the earpiece.

"Slow down Felicity," Oliver said over her panicked babbling. "What's going on? Where are you?"

"I…I'm inside the Starling City Central Bank," she said between breaths as she struggled to regain her composure. "There are some men here in black masks… They've got guns and…"

"How many of them are there?" Oliver interrupted.

"Five…I think…" Felicity said quietly.

"Where exactly in the bank are you now?" he asked as he looked around for a way into the building.

"In…I'm in one of the vaults," she said. "I came in here to get something from my safety deposit box when I heard gunfire out in the lobby. I…I think they shot one of the guards. I don't know for sure… there was so much shouting."

"Are you in there alone Felicity?"

"No. There's a guy in a suit in here with me. I think he works here or something," Felicity replied with a hint of panic creeping back into her voice.

"Ok. Stay put and keep quiet. The cops have the entrance and the alleyways blocked off. I'm going to find a way to get in there somehow," he told her.

"Ok. Hurry up though Oliver. I…I could really use something stiff right now…and by stiff I mean an arrow or two!" Felicity whispered along with what sounded like some incoherent self-chastising.

Feeling the tug of a small smile at the corners of his lips through the unusual sense of panic that had begun to grip him Oliver said, "Keep your phone close by. I'll call you back in a minute."

Hanging up the phone and ducking under the police line Oliver ran up to Detective Lance. Grabbing him by the shoulder Oliver asked, "Detective, what's going on? Why aren't you inside already?"

Throwing his hand up in reflex Quentin Lance stepped back and yelled, "Jesus Queen! You scared the living hell out of me! What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to get back? If you're worried about your trust fund getting stolen I can assure you…"

"I have a friend in there Detective," Oliver interrupted seriously. "She said there are only five men in there, so why isn't your team beating down the door to get to them?"

"Huh? What friend?" Detective Lance asked. "And how do you know how many guys are in there?"

"She just called me," Oliver replied completely ignoring the first question.

"Uh huh. Well we will get them. I can guarantee you that. You call your friend back and tell her to stay down and keep calm. Let us handle the rest," he said to Oliver as he turned his back to him. "And get behind the line before I have you arrested for obstruction of justice."

Clenching his jaw in frustration Oliver scoped out the area around the bank. The door and alleyway were blocked off and he could see SWAT snipers taking positions on both adjacent rooftops. There was no way Oliver Queen would be able to just stroll his way into that bank. He had also left his hood and bow back at the club in the Glades. There was no way to get across the city and back in time. Felicity needed him now!

Crossing the police line Oliver picked up his phone and dialed Felicity's number. After the third ring she finally picked up.

"Oliver?" he heard her whisper.

"Felicity, are you still in the vault? Are you safe?" Oliver asked.

"Yes for now," she replied.

"Listen to me closely Felicity. The police have the building surrounded. There are snipers on the roof and SWAT coming up the alley. There's no way for me to get in there as I am," Oliver explained. "I'm going to give Diggle a call and get him to bring my…equipment. It's the only way I can even risk breaking in to get to you."

"Ok," Felicity said as she took another calming breath. "It figures that it would have to be something major like me getting stuck in a bank that's getting robbed to get you and Diggle to talk to one another. You two are way too stubborn."

"Just stay safe Felicity," Oliver said with amusement at her astute observation.

"I will…" she began to say but quickly faded into silence.

"Felicity?" Oliver asked feeling an invisible hand grip his throat from fear.

"Someone's here," Felicity whispered from across the phone line. "I…I heard some footsteps…"

Her next words were cut off by the sound of her terrified scream and some shouting male voices. Oliver heard her phone clatter to the ground.

"Felicity! Felicity are you ok? What's happening?!" Oliver yelled into the phone.

The sound of two gunshots through the earpiece of his phone made Oliver's heart stop for a second. Listening closely as if his very life depended on the sounds coming from across the phone, Oliver made out the sound of approaching footsteps growing louder in his ear. There was a short crunching sound and the line went dead.

Squeezing the phone in his hand Oliver fought hard to quell the terror growing inside his chest and threatening to overwhelm him.

'_I can't lose her too…'_ Oliver thought.

Dialing quickly Oliver impatiently waited for Diggle to pick up the phone. After a few rings he heard the click of the line connecting.

"What is it Oliver?" Digg's deep voice asked.

"Felicity's in trouble," he said quickly. "I think she's been shot."

"WHAT?" Digg yelled through the phone all business like in a flash. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to go to the club and get my…equipment," Oliver replied quickly looking around to see if anyone was listening in. "Bring it to the Starling City Central Bank down the street from Queen Consolidated as fast as you can. Call me when you're close by."

"On my way," Diggle replied as he hung up the phone.

As Oliver slipped his phone back into his pocket the sound of two shots from the snipers on the rooftop adjacent to the bank rang out. A few seconds later he heard someone shout 'CLEAR' as the window of the bank blew out in a cloud of white smoke.

Turning towards the scene Oliver watched the team of SWAT members scurry through the hole where the bank window had been moments before. A brief exchange of shouting and gunfire followed and then there was silence. Running towards the police line he slid to a stop as the front doors of the bank burst open and a stream of people rushed out for their lives. There in the crowd with her blonde ponytail, pink dress shirt and soot stained glassed was Felicity Smoak looking shook up but alive and healthy as she supported a man in a grey business suit and thick black hair. Spotting Oliver behind the line of police vehicles Felicity handed over the businessman to a waiting EMT and ran over to meet him. Catching her in a fierce hug Oliver held her close to him for a minute.

"I thought you were dead," Oliver said into her floral scented hair as she hugged him back with more enthusiasm.

Pushing her back to arms length he looked her over urgently for any sign of injury.

"Are you hurt?" Oliver asked with concern. "Are you bleeding? I heard gunshots…"

"No. I'm fine," Felicity replied shaking her head and wiping a tear from her eye. "They missed me. The guy behind me wasn't so lucky though. He got hit in the shoulder."

"How did you get out?" he asked as he triple checked her for injuries.

"The man that was in there with me…he took out the two guys that came into the vault," she said. "Even with a bullet in his shoulder…Oliver… he moves like you do. You know…when you fight. He's tough."

"Excuse me miss," a passing EMT said to Felicity. "We need to get you checked out and take your statement of what happened inside. If you'll follow me please."

Looking at Felicity, Oliver gently pushed her towards the waiting EMT to get her feet moving.

"Go ahead," he told her. "I'll be along in a minute."

Watching Felicity being led to a waiting ambulance for a moment, Oliver turned away and headed in the direction he had seen the businessman that had been carried out by Felicity earlier. Reaching the bank doors he spotted him sitting in the back of a nearby ambulance as his shoulder was being bandaged and put into a sling. The gauze was stained crimson with heavy bleeding creating a bright spot that contrasted greatly against the grey of his suit. His thick, dark hair was swept back across his head with a hint of oil or gel that parted his hair with a neat line off to the side. His dark brow eyes flashed a look of recognition at Oliver as he approached the ambulance.

Extending his hand in gratitude, Oliver gently shook the man's hand as he said, "Thank you…thank you for protecting the blonde that was in the vault with you. If there is anything I can do to repay you don't hesitate to ask."

"It was my pleasure Mr. Queen," the man said with amusement. "How about you find me a new shoulder? This one doesn't seem to be working right and I can't seem to figure out why."

Chuckling, Oliver replied, "I'll look into it immediately Mr.…?"

As the man opened his mouth to reply Oliver felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. Giving the man an apologetic look Oliver stepped away from the ambulance and picked up his phone.

"Hello?" he said.

"I'm here," Diggle's voice replied.

**FLASH FORWARD TO THE PRESENT**

Taking a deep breath, Oliver removed his forehead from the cool glass window in the Queen Consolidated boardroom.

'_There are still some good people out there,_' he thought to himself. '_There are people out there willing to do what I've been failing to_.'

Turning to leave Oliver came face to face with Walter Steele as he opened the boardroom doors.

"Oliver!" Walter said with his thick British accent. "It's good to see you son. What brings you by this late?"

"Hey Walter," he replied. "I was just waiting for a friend that works down in the I.T. department. I just came in here to think about something. Why are you here so late? Don't you have a dinner date with mom?"

"Yes I do, but business deals can't always wait until the morning sometimes," Walter replied gesturing behind his shoulder. "I have a late business meeting with a potential investor from Gotham City."

Looking over Walter's shoulder Oliver just the man standing there waiting patiently. His dark hair was gently oiled back along his head and parted neatly down the side. He wore a black business suit with a white dress shirt and black tie. Underneath the fold of his jacket Oliver could make out his right arm resting comfortably in a sling. His dark brown eyes held an amused light of recognition as he looked at Oliver. He had a graceful power about his frame that Oliver hadn't noticed before when he had met him sitting in the back of an ambulance after the foiled bank robbery the previous day.

"Oliver Queen," Walter said as he gestured toward the waiting man. "Meet Bruce Wayne."


	3. Chapter 3: Rivals

Bloodlust Ch.3: Rivals

Staring across one of the Verdant's many tables Oliver Queen struggled to get a read on the man casually lounging opposite of him on a small plush chair. The man was dressed in a custom tailored; black business suit similar to the same one Oliver himself was wearing. The man could have been a mirror image of Oliver. They could have even been brothers. Both men had been brought up in the wealthy part of society. They both were considered their cities respective playboys. Each man had also witnessed the death of family members at an impressionable time in their lives and they were both now the heads of their families' individual corporations. Short of their physical appearances both men were one in the same, right down to the steely stares that they shot across the table at one another. Each man was as impenetrable as a vault and yet Bruce Wayne seemed to be cracking Oliver's code.

"So, Mr. Queen..." Bruce began to say with a small smirk on his face.

"Oliver. Mr. Queen was my father Mr. Wayne," Oliver corrected him as he flashed a similar smile back at his guest.

"Bruce," the other man corrected in return. "Mr. Wayne was my father as well."

Smiling tensely at one another the two men let an awkward silence fall between them. After a few minutes of icy, penetrating stares both men reached for their drinks at the same time. Flashing each other the same rueful grin both men took a small sip from their glasses.

"So...Oliver," Bruce said as he cradled his drink in his hand, "I hope there is no bad blood between us from our...encounter two nights ago..."

*FLASH BACK TO 2 NIGHTS PRIOR*

"Slow down Felicity. You'll eat yourself into a coma at the rate you're going," Oliver said to the petite blonde woman sitting across the table from him who was wolfing down a burger like it was her last meal.

"I cahn't," Felicity replied through her inhales of burger. "Iht's shoo ghood."

Shaking his head in amusement Oliver leaned back against the booth and watched her eat. Even like this there was something about Felicity Smoak that amazed him. She was so genuine. Not a care given for appearances or table manners. Given all that she had been through the other day. Oliver couldn't blame her for eating the way she did. There were too many times he himself had eaten like a warthog after his return from the Island.

"What's up Oliver?" Felicity asked as she wiped her face with a napkin. "You've got that far away thinky face going on. What's on your mind?"

Snapping out of his thoughtful daze Oliver smiled and replied, "Nothing."

Fixing him with an 'I know you better than that' look Felicity waited patiently for him to reply.

Reluctantly giving in Oliver replied, "I was just thinking about my time in the Island...and about everything that you had to go through at the bank the other day. I'm just glad you're ok Felicity."

With her face breaking into a surprised smile Felicity looked down at her empty plate in embarrassment and said, "Thanks Ollie."

Smiling down at her Oliver replied with a simple, "You're welcome."

Looking up at Oliver with a sudden grim expression on her face Felicity said, "If not for the man in the vault with me I wouldn't be here. I didn't even get to thank him or even catch his name."

"There's no need to thank me miss," said a bassy voice off of Oliver's left shoulder. "The name is Bruce by the way. Bruce Wayne."

Looking over his shoulder Oliver saw Bruce Wayne in a dark grey business suit standing over him and Felicity accompanied by an older gentleman with thinning grey hair and a fatherly demeanor.

Turning to face Oliver Bruce nodded his head in polite recognition and extended his hand as he said, "Mr. Queen. It is a pleasure to see you again. How is Mr. Steele doing?"

Standing up awkwardly in the booth Oliver shook Bruce's hand as he replied, "Nice to see you again as well Mr. Wayne. Walter is doing well. He's currently off on a business trip in Metropolis. He should be back in time for our meeting on Monday."

"Hold on a minute," Felicity interrupted with a star-struck look on her face. "Bruce Wayne? As in THE Bruce Wayne? The Gotham City billionaire Bruce Wayne? The head of Wayne Enterprises Bruce Wayne?"

Smiling at Felicity with what looked like a practiced sheepish expression on his face to Oliver, Bruce replied, "That does sound familiar. I think you missed the extremely good-looking Bruce Wayne. I read that somewhere in the Gotham Gazette once, but I think the reporter may have over exaggerated a little bit...creative license you know. Of course me owning the Gotham Gazette might have had something to do with that line. She was probably just looking for a raise."

"Oh I didn't miss that," Felicity said not so quietly as she continued to gaze at Bruce Wayne with a twinkle in her eyes.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable with the looks Bruce and Felicity were throwing at one another Oliver extended his hand past Bruce's face to the older man accompanying him and asked, "And you are?"

"Alfred Pennyworth," the elderly gentleman replied pleasantly as he shook Oliver's hand. "I'm Master Wayne's engaged house keeper."

Turning to clap Alfred on the shoulder warmly Bruce said, "Nonsense Alfred. He is like a father to me. He took care of me and raised me since I was a boy."

"Where were your parents?" Felicity asked, still with a dazed look in her eyes.

"They died. They were murdered in front of me when I was a boy. It's just been Alfred and I ever since," Bruce replied somberly.

"Oh," Felicity replied snapping out of her spell over Bruce Wayne with a horrified expression on her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. Well actually I did since I asked, but I didn't know...well I did know, but I forgot. I do this stupid thing sometimes where I don't think before I speak and everything comes out all wrong..."

"Breath Felicity," Oliver said as he looked over at her trying desperately trying to explain to Bruce in the midst of her panic.

"Right," Felicity said as she took a deep steadying breath. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize...Felicity was it? It was a long time ago," Bruce said with a reassuring smile. "Anyways, Alfred and I were just here to grab some take out. Enjoy your lunch Mr. Queen...you as well Felicity."

"You're not staying?" Felicity asked with sudden concern.

Glancing over at Oliver ever-so-briefly Bruce replied, "I'm afraid I...we...can't. Alfred and I need to prepare for another business meeting that I have tonight. But I'd love to have you...and Mr. Queen...over at my hotel tomorrow night for dinner. I'll write down my number for you and I'll have Alfred make us a reservation."

Handing Felicity a business card with his cell number written on the back Bruce Wayne smiled at her with all the charm he possessed. Feeling the queasiness in his stomach intensify Oliver looked away until Bruce Wayne extended his hand in farewell and sauntered off towards the exit.

*FLASH BACK TO THE PRESENT*

"No," Oliver replied tensely to Bruce's question. "I hope you and Felicity had a nice time at dinner. I'm sorry I was unable to attend. I was...engaged with other business."

Relaxing a little Bruce smiled at Oliver as he said, "That's quite alright Mr. ... Oliver. I had to cut the dinner short...much to Felicity's disappointment."

"Ah," Oliver replied as his stomach churned uncomfortably. Placing his drink on the back of his right hand he said, "That's quite...unfortunate."

"Quite," Bruce said as he glanced down quickly at Oliver's right hand as a dark look entered his eyes. "How did you hurt your hand?"

*FLASH BACK TO THE PREVIOUS NIGHT*

"He's on the roof Digg!" Oliver yelled into his bluetooth as he vaulted across the gap between rooftops. Landing in a tight roll Oliver dodged into cover behind an industrial sized air conditioner as a bullet impacted the ground where he had just landed.

"Where is he Oliver?!" Diggle yelled over the bluetooth in Oliver's ear. "I can't see him!"

Hearing a bullet impact the side of the air conditioner and booted footsteps running away into the distance Oliver glanced up over the edge of his hiding place. Spotting his target two roofs over he replied, "Deadshot is running towards the Glades! He's two rooftops over! He just passed Starling Central Hotel."

"I'm on it," Digg said with a calm focus in his voice.

Oliver was surprised at how calm Diggle sounded. After days of searching Deadshot had finally slipped up and revealed himself when he shot a mob boss in Starling Central Park. Oliver had been on his way to join Bruce Wayne and Felicity for dinner and was passing next to the park when he had heard the shot go off. It was a lucky break. Glancing over at Starling Central Hotel across the way, his destination prior to running into Deadshot, Oliver felt the same uncomfortable twinge in his stomach that he had yesterday at the diner when Felicity and Bruce...

"Oliver!" Diggle yelled in his ear. "He jumped down onto the street. He's heading into an alley behind Russo's restaurant. That alley is a dead end. I got him Oliver!"

"Wait for me Digg," Oliver said urgently as he sprinted out from behind the A.C. and jumped another gap onto the next roof. "Don't take him alone!"

"He's got nowhere to go. I got this Oliver...shit! Cops!" Diggle yelled.

"What?!" Oliver yelled back as he vaulted another roof and angled towards Russo's.

"I've got cops on my tail! I was speeding. They're pulling me over Oliver," Digg said in frustration. "Damn it! Deadshot's going to get away!"

Landing on top of the roof of Russo's Oliver spotted Deadshot enter the alleyway and head unknowingly toward him. Pulling an arrow out of his quiver with dark intent and nocking it Oliver replied, "No he's not."

Pulling the arrow back towards his cheek with a deadly power honed through five years of physical and mental on the Island he took aim. Taking a calming breath Oliver released his delicate grip on the arrow and watched it sail straight into the right shoulder of his target with enough force to knock him on his back. Jumping down off the roof of Russo's Oliver hit the ground lightly on his feet. Pulling another arrow from his quiver he slowly stalked up the alleyway towards Deadshot's struggling form.

Nocking the arrow to the bow and pulling it back swiftly to his cheek he stared down at Deadshot with murder in his eyes and venom staining his voice. Making sure to annunciate every word Oliver said, "This is for Diggle you son of a bitch."

Abruptly an excruciating pain shot through Oliver's right hand as something hard and sharp flew out of the darkness and knocked the bow out of his grasp. From somewhere to his left he heard a raspy voice say, "He's mine."

Turning towards the source of the voice Oliver watched a figure materialize out of the night. The man was as tall as Oliver and sported a mask with pointy black ears that hid most of his face. Covered from neck to toe in all black cape and black body armor Oliver could just make out a silver design etched into the center of his chest in what looked like the shape of a bat.

"Who are you suppose to be?" Oliver asked stalling for time to reach his bow.

"I'm like you," the masked figure replied, as he walked slowly forward not taking his eyes off of Oliver.

"Who exactly do you think I am?" Oliver asked as he took a few measured steps back in an effort to keep some distance from this stranger and in turn shortening the distance towards his bow.

"Someone trying to do the right thing," the man replied moving closer towards Oliver. "The man that this city needs."

Moving back a few steps Oliver glanced briefly at his bow. He was now close enough to make a grab for it. Slipping a flechette subtly from his forearm as the man in the mask glanced over at the struggling Deadshot Oliver began to reach for his bow.

"Don't," the masked man said with an air of authority. "You can't kill this man."

"He deserves to die," Oliver said coldly.

"Many people do," the man countered as he turned to face him. "But that's for the law to decide. Don't compromise who you are for the sake of revenge. You'll never be able to be the type of person that Starling City needs if you give into your bloodlust."

"I'm no hero," Oliver growled.

Diving for his bow he twisted in midair and threw his flechette towards the sharp metallic object that he had expected to fly out of the strangers hand the instant he went for his bow. Coming up in a roll Oliver spun sharply as he pulled two arrows from his quiver and fired them off at the caped man in quick succession. The first glanced off of the man's chest plate whole the second arrow was cut short of the man's masked face by a quick swipe from his left gauntlet which Oliver saw had a row of serrated, all black blades. Breaking into a sprint Oliver charged head first into the stranger swinging his bow around with all the force and momentum that his body could muster. Catching the edge of the bow in his left hand the stranger drove his right fist into Oliver's stomach and slammed his masked forehead sharply into Oliver's own. Stunned and breathless Oliver felt his body flip through the air and land hard on the alley pavement. Twisting around on the ground desperately while barley ignoring the strain it placed on his shoulder Oliver swiped his opponent's legs from under him. Feeling the man's grip slacken as he fell Oliver pulled his hand free and rolled underneath and out the other side while grabbing another flechette from his arm. Using all his power Oliver rammed the point of the little arrow under the divide in the man's armored leg platting a split second before the heel of a black boot flew into his face with the force of a tank that sent his world into darkness.

Coming back to consciousness Oliver found himself staring up at the ceiling of a familiar looking car. Turning his head slowly while trying to fight the feeling of nausea that threatened to overwhelm him Oliver saw Diggle seated in the driver's seat with a look of cold fury on his face.

"Deadshot..." Oliver groaned weakly, "Where is he? Digg...what happened?"

Looking back at Oliver quickly Diggle said, "Good, you're awake. Deadshot...he...he got away Oliver. I saw him booking it out of the alleyway like the devil was behind him. I couldn't get there in time to stop him..."

"I'm sorry Digg...I almost had him. I...," Oliver began to say.

"I know Oliver," Diggle sighed. "I saw the freak in the mask that handed your ass to you. He limped off into the darkness after took a few shots at him."

"The flechette...the one I put into his leg...where is it? We could get a blood sample off of it and try to figure out who this guy is," he asked as he tenderly raised himself into a seated position.

"It's gone man," Diggle replied. "He did leave us this though."

Reaching into his left jacket pocket Diggle handed Oliver a small, sharp, silver, metallic object. Rolling it around his bruised right hand Oliver peered intently at the bat shaped item.

"Who are you?" he whispered to himself.

*FLASH BACK TO PRESENT*

"I got into a fight...with my boxing instructor. Those gloves aren't as protective as they look," Oliver lied with a smile on his face.

"Really?" Bruce asked with obvious suspicion.

"Yeah," Oliver replied as he looked around the empty club. "So...shall we get down to business?"

"Let's do that," Bruce said curtly.

Adjusting his suit jacket Oliver was caught off guard as Bruce threw the contents of his drink into Oliver's face. Trying to blink out the sting of alcohol out of his eyes Oliver flew back out of his chair and skidded across the floor as Bruce Wayne jumped across the table and kicked him solidly in the chest. Grasping for breath Oliver barley made out Bruce's blurry form stalking toward him with a noticeable limp emanating from his right leg.

"You," Oliver gasped out as he struggled to breath. "You're him...the man in the mask."

Towering over him Oliver just heard Bruce say, " And you're the man behind the green hood. Oh, and the name is Batman Mr. Queen," before a fist sent him plunging back into the dark embrace of unconsciousness.


End file.
